FROM THE PULPIT

There was a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. She had a rare blood type which she shared with her little brother. The fact that he had recovered from the same disease two years earlier made the chances of success even greater. The doctor carefully explained all this to the little boy, pointing out that without the transfusion his sister would die.

"Would you be brave and give your blood to your sister?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip began to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." The two children were wheeled into the hospital room - Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. He smiled at his sister, the watched as the blood traveled out of his body, down the clear plastic tube. Johnny's smile faded, and as he lay there feeling weak he looked up at the doctor and said, "Doctor, when do I die?' Johnny thought that giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. Yet because of his great love for her he was prepared to pay the price.

Today we begin the week of weeks and that is Holy Week. Today’s Liturgy of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion unravels what happened from Palm Sunday to Good Friday on Calvary. The beginning of the this liturgy we had the blessing of the palms and the Gospel was proclaimed recounting that day where Jesus walked into Jerusalem and was welcomed into the city like a king and people cried out, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” Then the same people at the end of the week were screaming to the man they named king just a few days back, “Crucify him, crucify him.”

In the first reading from the Book of Isaiah is the third of four passages that describes the ministry of an unnamed “servant of the Lord.” (The fourth passage will be read as the first reading on Good Friday.) It is easy to see how Jesus’ suffering fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy: “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.” In the house of the high priest, Jesus was ridiculed, beaten, and reviled; Herod and his men “treated him contemptuously and mocked him”; Pilate offered to have him flogged. In all this, Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of a suffering servant of the Lord. At the same time the passage from Isaiah makes two other points. First, the servant encourages and rouses the weary. And so it is that Jesus encourages the disciples, comforts the women of Jerusalem, forgives his executioners, and brings the repentant thief to and is suffering at the hands of those who hate him, he is still reaching out with care and concern to others. Second, Isaiah’s mysterious servant, even under duress and great threat, trusts in God to deliver him: “God is my help….I am not disgraced…..I shall not be put to shame”. And so it is that Jesus, with sublime trust rather than with Mark’s agonizing doubt, commends his spirit into the hands of God. It is confidence in God which steels his nerves or, in the words of Isaiah, allows him to “set [his] face like flint” Luke’s Passion (the account that was proclaimed just moments ago) reminds us that the Passion also proclaims Jesus’ ultimate self-giving ministry for others. Though Jesus is facing his own death, his gaze and concern are always directed to those around him; affirming his disciples, healing the man with the severed ear, comforting the women of Jerusalem, forgiving his executioners, saving the repentant thief. In his darkest hour, Jesus’ identity as compassionate Savior shines most brightly. Already in his suffering and death Jesus is showing us that the very dying includes life-giving to others.[1]

My brothers and sisters, as we see Jesus serving his fellow brother and sister and as I mentioned he was the greatest example of the suffering servant. If we don’t do it often let us meditate on the crucifix. Let us ponder on that love that was given to the world that no other love could even be in par with. Let it remind us of that service that we should give to one another without any reservations “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

[1] Living Liturgy, pp. 92-93

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION

His coming is a revelation, a radical, total revelation of God's holiness."Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory...". Precisely this Week which humanly speaking is filled to the brim with suffering, humiliation, despoliation, in a word, with the kenosis of God this Week contains the revelation of God's holiness, the culmination of world history. "Holy, Holy, Holy.... Hosanna in the highest"....To embrace the Cross on this day, to pass it from hand to hand, is a very eloquent gesture. It is like saying: Lord, we do not want to stay with you only at the time of the "Hosannas", but with your help we want to accompany you on the way of the Cross as did Mary, your mother and ours, and the Apostle John. Yes, O Lord, because "You have the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68), and we have believed that precisely your Cross is the word of life, of eternal life!

meditation: www.ewtn.com

image: http://calstaging.bemidjistate.edu

5th Saturday of Lent

The Book of Isaiah describes an innocent servant of God who is “despised and rejected by men” (Isaiah 53:3)—a prophecy that was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. In his gospel, John identified this rejection as coming from “the Jews.” Misunderstanding of this point has contributed to centuries of anti- Semitism and persecution of the Jewish people. John didn’t mean that all the Jewish people of his day opposed Jesus. For John, “the Jews” doesn’t mean all Jews but the group of Pharisees, chief priests, and members of the Sanhedrin who rejected Jesus and tried to engineer his death (see John 7:32,45,47-48). And even among these authorities, some accepted him (7:50-51). As today’s reading points out, many Jews who saw Jesus’ miracles actually believed in him (11:45).

How easy it can be to point our fingers at these first-century “bad guys” and blame them! It can be difficult to admit, but haven’t we all rejected Jesus? Isn’t this the whole point of the cross? It’s because we were all “enemies” of God (Romans 5:10) that Jesus came and poured out his blood. There are no good guys and bad guys, just a race of sinners who are passionately loved by their heavenly Father and who have been undeservingly redeemed by his beloved Son.
Isn’t this good news? Isn’t it comforting to know that no matter how much opposition to Jesus remains in our hearts, he still loves us and never regrets the sacrifice he made for us? Isn’t it extremely encouraging to know that Jesus continues to intercede for us and pours out grace upon grace to deliver us from every form of evil!

As Holy Week begins, let’s examine our hearts. Do we condemn certain individuals or even groups of people as evil, beyond hope, absolute enemies of God? Instead, let’s ask Jesus to show love and mercy. He died for everyone. He holds out hope for everyone right up till the last minute. He urges us to do the same. Let’s bless, not curse. Let’s intercede, not condemn. We are all one family in Christ, and the more we love one another, the more the gospel will triumph in everyone’s heart.

“Father, you sent your Son that all humanity might be reconciled to you. Now you have given the church—and each of us—a share in your ministry of reconciliation. Empower us to draw others to you.”

meditation: The Word Among Us

5th Friday of Lent

If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as His friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend. And I clearly see that is we expect to please Him and receive an abundance of His graces, God desires that these graces must come to us from the hands of Christ, through His most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight. All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding His life we find that he is the best example. What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, He will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves him and always keeps Him near. Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led Him to bestow on us so many graces and favors, and also the great love God showed in giving us in Christ a pledge of his love; for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love him. For is at some time the Lord should grant us the grace of impressing his love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.

meditation: St. Teresa of Avila

SPECIAL EDITION: LET US PRAY

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Our dearest mother Mary, we pray for the virtue of discipleship. Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. In the end, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

May we recognize our call to discipleship. May we stand by the cross not counting the cost knowing that nothing of our own will be lost and all that is Christ’s is to be gained in the new life of grace won for us at the cost of His life. Amen.

Meditation: Fr. Roger Hall, O.F.M.

5th Thursday of Lent

St. Bonaventure once said that the day you no longer burn with love and concern for souls, many others will die of the cold. Where can we go to increase our love? To whom can we turn to find help? I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has raised up hopes in this century to focus our attention and to concentrate our devotion upon the Holy Family. Because in the Holy Family we are going to find the source of strength. We are going to find the encouragement we need when we have distressful losses on all sides. The Holy Family is the place where we go when we feel like weak nobodies, incapable of withstanding the onslaught of the enemies of the Church, because Christ has raised up the Holy Family as the model of the Christian home, to be sure, but as the nucleus of the New Covenant Church-family of God showing that through detachment, through renunciation, through poverty, through mortification, through trials and sufferings, the war will be won. The Savior will be born and salvation will spill out in all directions and cover the earth.

meditation: Scott Hahn

5th Wednesday of Lent

"Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)

That must mean that we are all slaves to sin. What should we do with such a statement? First, we should understand that all of us are called to holiness. And God doesn’t call us to something he won’t equip us to fulfill. So none of us should feel helpless or powerless in the face of our sin.

Second, we need to learn to depend fully on Jesus, the source of all holiness. St. Alphonsus of Liguori once said: “Habitual sin and prayer cannot co-exist. Either we will stop sinning or stop praying.” We need to continually be drawing strength from Jesus in all the ways that he comes to us: prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, spiritual direction, Christian fellowship. To strive for holiness apart from Jesus will only leave us frustrated.

Third, we need to learn how to overcome our attractions to sin. St. Francis de Sales compares the person who indulges in “affection for sin” to the Israelites who left slavery in Egypt but longed for its comforts while journeying through the desert. But the Israelites had to ask the same question we do: Do I really want to return to a life of slavery for just a few moments of pleasure?

Finally, if we want to get free from sin, we need to develop a plan. If you are prone to pride, dedicate yourself to humility. If you are prone to lust, do everything you can to pursue purity. Remember, you cannot think your way into being virtuous; you must act your way. At the start of each day, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the grace you need to make the right choices. Then, every few hours evaluate how you are doing and ask the Lord again for his help. In the evening, examine your conscience and ask Jesus’ forgiveness for those times you failed. Over time, you will find real and measurable progress. As we said above, each of us really can become holy!
“Father, I want to hate sin. I no longer want to tolerate it or to water down its effects. Lord, help me to keep my conscience sharp. Give me the grace I need to live in freedom from bondage. Holy Spirit, come and keep me in the truth of Christ, because I simply cannot do it on my own.”

meditation: The Word Among Us

Fifth Tuesday of Lent

It's so true, it's almost a liche: for every up in life, there is a down; for every triumph, there is a challenge. But our resiliency is determined by our ability to life ourselves. Liking ourselves is as essential as breathing. Without it, we make bad decisions, push our loved ones away, and prevent ourselves from achieving our goals.

Many people dislike themselves. They often feel they have no value and nothing to offer. They determine their significance based on their functionality---what they can do or contribute. They are not aware of their instinisic value and God-given worth.

Most of us suffer from wishing on someone else's star---wishing we were better looking, more outgoing, more successful. To cure the wishing syndrome we have to be willing to draw our value from what God has given us. We are uniquely fashioned: an exclusive combination that will never happen again, and we have to acknowledge this, We have to be willing to stand up proudly and recite the "I AM" creed:

"I am special. I am one of a kind. I am terrific. I am learning. I am growing. I am changing. I am God's child. I am a masterpiece created by the Master artist."

Relax and enjoy who you are. Remember, you don't have to rehears to be yourself, and it can be a lot of fun.

meditation: A Time for Mending

5th Monday of Lent

Forgiveness, in its truest and highest form, is a free act of love. But precisely because it is an act of love, it has its own intrinsic demands: the first of which is respect for the truth. God alone is absolute truth. But He made the human heart open to the desire for truth, which He then fully revealed in His Incarnate Son. Hence we are all called to live the truth.

meditation: Pope John Paul II

HAPPY FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;My spirit rejoices in God my savior.For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness;behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.He has shown might with his arm,dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.He has thrown down the rulers from their thronesbut lifted up the lowly.The hungry he has filled with good things;the rich he has sent away empty.He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,According to his promise to our fathers,to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

image: http://copiosa.org

FROM THE PULPIT

A well dressed businessman once went on a train trip that required him to share an overnight compartment with another passenger. When the other passenger entered the compartment the businessman's heart sank, for his companion was one of the meanest, roughest looking characters you could imagine. Tattoos covered his arms, multiple earrings were in his lobes, and his jeans were faded and torn.

"How can I possibly go to sleep tonight?" thought the businessman, "I'll no sooner be off to sleep than this man will rummage through my bags and steal my wallet and laptop computer." Then he had an idea. The respectable looking man went in search of the guard’s carriage and explained his predicament. His travel partner was a shady looking type and would the guard mind holding onto his wallet and computer until morning? The guard, used to this type of request, readily agreed and enquired as to the respectable man's compartment number. "No worries sir. Funny thing though sir, you're traveling companion was here not more than an hour ago, leaving his valuables for the same reason as you!"

Although the scribes and Pharisees make the woman caught in adultery “stand in the middle” of the crowd, she is not the center of their concern. To them the woman is merely a prop. Although they present a legal case to Jesus, their concern is not the Law of Moses. To them, the law is merely a device to test Jesus. As often pointed out, although the woman was allegedly “caught in the very act of committing adultery,” the man is not present. The law to which the scribes and Pharisees appeal prescribes death for both the man and the woman. Again, the intent of this banana court is not justice; all that matters is that Jesus be discredited and possibly convicted of violating the law himself. Interestingly, Jesus does not respond to the legal case presented to him. Rather, he views the entire matter as a moral concern. Whereas the scribes and Pharisees frame the issue in terms of law, Jesus frames it in terms of sin. While it may, perhaps, be possible for people to be always law abiding, sin is something in which all share. But in suggesting that all are sinners, Jesus is not saying that sin should not be condemned; rather each person should look to his or her own sin. This is similar to the Gospel that were heard on the Third Sunday of Lent in which Jesus redirected the crowd’s curiosity about the sin of the victims of Pilate and the building accident to reflect rather on their own sin.. Jesus, the true center of the story, draws everyone into the charged situation: the spectators, the accusers, and the woman. Standing before Jesus, seeing his response, hearing his words—all learn the truth about themselves: they are sinners. The elders (traditionally honored as the wisest folks in town) are the first to see the wisdom of Jesus and so are the first to leave. The accusers, foiled again, also leave. The woman is given a reprieve from death and is offered a fresh start: “from now on do not sin any more.”[1]

My brothers and sisters last week we dealt with reconciliation and we saw the father forgiving his son and not “judging” him. Today we see Jesus who reminds those around him that we are sinful and should start to see our own weaknesses and stop to see the faults of others. How many times do we fall into that category when we look around us and see the faults of others? How many times might we get on the phone and say, “oh did you see what Jen is doing with that house?” Other times we might say, “Look at that person, he must be a real loser.” My dear brothers and sisters we all have heard the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” How true that is that we shouldn’t be putting labels on people. We don’t know the situation that they are in, we don’t know what are in their hearts.

We have a group in our church, I’m referring to the church as the whole church and not this particular parish that believes everything is black and white. They are people that immediately condemn those that they feel are not following church teaching but my brothers and sisters I learn more and more each day as I converse with people, each case is so different. We have to hear the person’s story to figure out where they are coming from. Yes we must remember that our God is a God of Judgment but he is also a God of mercy.

My brothers and sisters we also must remember that there is always room for forgiveness for those who have fallen astray. We hear in the Gospel of Matthew, “What do you think? if a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders way, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about the one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones be lost.” Our Lord is always with open hands to welcome those back into his arms, then aren’t we also do the same?

Pope John Paul II back in 1998 preached on this particular Gospel and he said, “Jesus however unmasked their cunning: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (Jn 8:7). While this authoritative reply reminds us that it is only the Lord who can judge, it reveals the true meaning of divine mercy, which leaves open the possibility for repentance and emphasizes the great respect for the dignity of the person, which not even sin can take away. “Go, and do not sin again” (Jn 8:11). The last words of this episode show that God does not want the sinner to die, but to repent of the evil he has committed and live.”

So my brothers and sisters let us not judge those that we feel are lost but let us help them instead to return back to that road of forgiveness to that road that will bring them to the love that only Jesus can give. We can do this by our prayers and especially by our own actions that go in line with the Gospel. “The Lord has come not for the righteousness but for the sinner.”





[1] Living Liturgy, p. 87

5th Sunday of Lent

While this story appears to be an honest attempt by some of the scribes and Pharisees to pursue justice, it is really the story of yet another trap set by Jesus’ enemies to ensnare him. According to Jewish law, adultery was a capital crime punishable by death (Leviticus 20:10). But according to Roman law—which governed occupied Palestine—Jews had no authority to put a man to death. So if Jesus had agreed with the Pharisees, he would be violating the Roman law. But if he disagreed, he would be identified as a false teacher. Jesus’ opponents must have felt very secure about their trap. Today they would surely get the man!

Once again, Jesus’ enemies underestimated him. In his response, Jesus writes in the sand and says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). With that, the whole crowd dispersed. Why did this one sentence have such a dramatic impact on the crowd? Because it became clear that whatever judgment they leveled against this woman would be leveled against them for their own sins. If she were condemned, so would they be as well. There were only two responses: to ask Jesus for forgiveness or to walk away and let the woman live. Since the crowd was not willing to repent, they chose to walk away.

They should have stayed. The woman did, and she received mercy. Jesus showered her with a grace that washed away her sins. Even though the woman was guilty as charged, Jesus issued a decree of divine forgiveness and set her on a new path. Jesus knew that he was the only one qualified to cast a stone at this woman. Still, he chose to die for her instead. He chooses the same for us. May we all come to embrace his mercy, and let it change us dramatically!

meditation: The Word Among Us

4th Saturday of Lent

Jesus embodies the rule of God in which no one is beyond God's forgiveness no matter who they are or what they have done. Endowed with the presence and power of God through baptism by John in the Jordan, Jesus comes proclaiming that the rule of God supplants all others now. When the scribes and the Pharisees chide him for eating with the traitorous Jewish tax collectors, Jesus responds: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.' The answer to my parishioner's burning question [about divine forgiveness] was, of course: No, you cannot be too bad to be forgiven. You can only be too good. [For example: Too self-righteous to be humble, compassionate, or receptive to God's spirit.]

meditation: Lewis B. Smedes

4th Friday of Lent

Most of us have an enemy or two who dont like us very much, and who make our lives unpleasant or difficult. Very few of us, though, have to deal with someone actually trying to kill us. Jesus had such enemies, and therefore he acted cautiously (John 7:1). Their threats were serious, so he sent his kinfolk on ahead to Jerusalem without him (7:3-9). He seems to have had no intention of giving anyone a chance to kill him.

But then, something changed his mind (John 7:10). Perhaps the Holy Spirit spoke to him. Despite the danger, Jesus was obedient, even going into the Temple and teaching (7:14).
How could he do that? Because he knew how to hear his Father clearly, and he trusted him absolutely. Jesus staked his whole life on the Fathers desire to protect and deliver him long enough for him to accomplish what he was sent to do (John 7:30).

What a great opportunity we have, during Lent, to develop and improve our ability to hear, obey, and trust God! Perhaps today we could examine our lives and repent for times we havent lived according to what we know God wants. Perhaps today we could take a couple of chances in obeying what we think God is saying to us. Our experience will reinforce the truths that we do know and will teach us even more about how the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

One practical way to learn to hear, trust, and obey God is to write down a few things: What do I think the Holy Spirit is saying to me? What did I do about it? And what was the result? Perhaps you could keep a small notebook or pad of paper next to your bed or in some other convenient spot. At the end of your prayer, jot down what the Spirit said. Then, at the end of the day, make a brief note of any prayer that was answered, any steps you took in response to the Spirits leading, and any results you noticed. Some days, you might have nothing to record, or only missteps (but we learn even from those). But before too long, you will have a book of the miraculous!

meditation: The Word Among Us

SPECIAL EDITION: LET US PRAY

With loud shouts, the people persisted in calling for Jesus’ crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. Our dearest mother Mary, we pray for the virtue of courage. Pilate’s verdict was that the people’s demand should be granted. So they released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and Pilate handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished. And Jesus was led out to be crucified.

Jesus, the King of Mercy, was brought before the people that they might show Him mercy’s perfect deed; to grant life in the face of death. Instead Jesus was condemned by an enraged people to death, made to carry His cross to a death by crucifixion, a kind of blood-sport. The people were enraged from having long suffered unjust and corrupt political and religious systems. The just Man would serve as a sacrificial victim to satisfy man’s inhumanity to man.

We know that we will die. Knowing this, may we then choose to die in Christ living no longer selfishly for ourselves but that Christ may live in us for all others. May we have the courage then to serve as God’s instruments of mercy, justice, and peace. Amen.

meditation: Fr. Roger Hall, O.F.M.

image: The Passion of Christ Movie

4th Thursday of Lent

I met Her in a garden, A Lady made of stone.There was a look about Her face,Unfamiliar, peaceful grace.I sat and whispered at Her feetIn a flower garden sweet.As a little child orphaned and alone.I felt a kinship in my heart,Pain and sorrow seemed to part.With each and every passing day,I made haste to find my wayTo come before this Lady made of stone.As a little child orphaned and alone.Speaking to Her of my sad affair,In secret hoping someone would care.She held one hand upon Her heart,The other open wide.How I longed to place a flower at Her side.As a little child orphaned and alone.But to Her no flower could be given.To pick flowers from the garden was forbidden.Having no flower to give that day,I simply thought, "I must obey."When to my surprise I heard Her say,"My little child, cannot you see?Your obedience means more to me."How could I have ever known?She wanted me for Her very own.I found a real Mother in place of stone.Now Her little child, no more orphaned or alone.

meditation: Cindy Speltz

4th Wednesday of Lent

That first email was stiff and stilted, commenting about something on her page. It was not decorated with cheerful emotions, or saucy in humor. But it was a start. She wrote back, and I replied, and soon we were emailing regularly. The stiffness and anger faded eventually to forgiveness. We each saw the wrongs we'd both committed against each other and asked forgiveness. Then something found its way into the messages that I had missed for ten long years. Love. The bond between mother and daughter had been ignited once more. I described in detail her three grandchildren: Michael, age five; David, age three; and Chrissy, a three-month-old babe. My mother had only seen pictures of them through other family members. I described them to her now. How they smiled. Their fears, and their joys. Their distinct and marvelous personalities. When they said something funny, I would type it in an email and send it to her, introducing her to their charm, and the sheer miracle of their existence. She jotted off details of my childhood, tidbits I had forgotten. Funny stories to tell my children someday. Over a distance of 2,000 miles, she was getting to know her grandchildren, and reacquainting herself with me.One day, an email arrived saying she was coming for a visit, if that was okay. Tears streaming down my face, I typed my reply, "Yes, come. The kids would love to see you. I would love to see you."She came. She saw for herself all the details I'd written about my children. She held them in her arms, and smelled their hair. She hugged me, and met the man of my dreams, my husband.While she was visiting, we wrote to my grandmother. Growing up, I hadn't known my grandmother very well. My mother and she had also been estranged. Funny how generations repeat themselves sometimes.Gradually we began an email relationship, and now we converse regularly, spanning the miles and the lost years with the click of a send button. She has a sense of humor I adore, and her wit is razor sharp. I'm proud to call her Grandma. Even prouder that she calls me granddaughter.I hear all the time that the internet is full of garbage and sex. I would say yes, if you are looking for it. But the internet is also full of rewarding experiences for those with the courage to take them. It is a resource for finding lost relatives, educating your children, learning the wonderful diversity of humanity, and most importantly to me, keeping touch with family and friends. Don't fear this technology. Embrace the good in it!I smile now to think I almost argued my husband out of this computer. It's one argument I'm glad I lost. The funny thing is, my husband rarely uses the computer. But I'm fairly sure I've made good use of it. My mother and Grandmother agree.

meditation: Karman Wilson

4th Tuesday of Lent

Gail has been living with a particularly aggressive form of cancer. As a young nurse, she knows about giving. But now that she's a patient, she's learning about receiving also. "It's a lot easier," she says, "to be on the giving end."

When someone is facing a crisis and is tied up in knots, they long for someone who will be there for them as they experience a roller coaster of emotions. Some days they'll want to talk. Other days, they'll want us to sit with them in silence. Other times, they'll want us to just hold them as they cry. The Orly way to know what they need is to really listen. Listen to their tone of voice. Sometimes when I meet someone in the post office and say, "How are you?" they respond with, "Oh, I'm fine." I detect something in their tone and I say, "You don't sound very confident with that answer." Because I listened, this often leads to deeper sharing.

Look at what their eyes reveal. There are times when we'll see fear, anxiety, or tears. Listen and respond. Observe body language. Signs such as quivering hands or biting the lip show that the person is crying out. At these times, it's appropriate to say, "This is difficult for you. How can I help?" A listening presence is remembered much more than a lengthy speech. Be a friend.

meditation: A Time for Mending

4th Monday of Lent

Joseph believed God. Like Abraham before him, in hope, he believed against hope (Romans 4:18). Consider Joseph's situation. He was betrothed to Mary. This was a serious, binding agreement between them to wed. But then, Mary was found with child before they came together (Matthew 1:18). According to the law, Mary could have been stoned to death or compelled to marry the one with whom she had lain. Either way, the law expected Joseph to break the agreement with Mary and have nothing to do with her.

But like Abraham, Joseph believed God—the God who raises up generations and who establishes kingdoms (2 Samuel 7:13,16). Joseph's faith was rooted in the one who has established his steadfast love forever, whose faithfulness is as firm as the heavens (Psalm 89:2). So, when the angel told him to wed Mary and that she was bearing God's Messiah (Matthew 1:20-21), Joseph believed and took her as his wife.

Could Joseph have done this purely on human strength? No. Faith like Joseph's comes only as a gift of God. Thus, the story of Joseph highlights the miraculous, overpowering grace of God in every way. God called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and the foster father of the Messiah. And God gave him the grace to accomplish his calling and take his place in the fulfillment of Gods plans.

If we contemplate Mary and Joseph, we can come to see that we too are surrounded by Gods grace. By grace, the Son of God freely came to share our humanity. By grace, like Mary and Joseph, we are enabled to place our lives in Jesus' hands. By grace, the heavens are opened, and we can experience the Fathers saving love. God has done so much for us! How should we respond? By following Joseph's example of faith, trust, and obedience, even when the calling is difficult. God continues to be merciful. He continues to pours out his grace on us.

meditation: The Word Among Us

Happy St. Joseph's Day

Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who made up legends about him.
We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).

Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but they both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as "son of David," a royal title used also for Jesus.
We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. He knew that women accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty (Matthew 1:19-25).

We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).

We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him. Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22)

We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in handling the situation with Mary and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We are told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have been easy for a working man.

Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.
Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth.

Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice.
We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker.

There is much we wish we could know about Joseph -- where and when he was born, how he spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge: who he was -- "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18). In His Footsteps:
Joseph was foster father to Jesus. There are many children separated from families and parents who need foster parents. Please consider contacting your local Catholic Charities or Division of Family Services about becoming a foster parent.

Image: The Nativity Story

Meditation: www.catholic.org

FROM THE PULPIT

Former Beatle, George Harrison died in December 2001 and during his final days his wife, child and his sister, Louise were at his bedside. It was Louise's presence that was especially poignant. She and George had been feuding with each other for almost forty years. Their feud began when Louise opened a bed and breakfast named "A Hard Day's Night".

The rift was healed only when George realized he would probably die from cancer. Louise reports that their reconciliation was difficult but satisfying. "We sort of held hands like we used to do" she said. "We used to talk for hours about life and God and the universe. We were able to look into each other's eyes again with love. It was a very, very positive and loving meeting,"

This evening we hear about reconciliation with the parable of the Prodigal Son. In his self-centeredness, the Prodigal Son in this Sunday’s familiar parable is in no way admirable. He demanded his share of his father’s estate even before the father is dead and then “he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.” Even his “coming to his senses” is self-centered: it is not because he recognized the error of his ways, nor because he has hurt his father and acted irresponsibly. Rather it is because of his reduced circumstances and his severe hunger that he decides to return to his father. Nevertheless, though his motives are tainted, he returns. For his part, the older brother is self-righteous. To his credit, he is altogether admirable in serving his father faithfully and never---not even once---disobeying orders. Although he perhaps imagines himself as the ideal son (someone from whom his brother could learn!), the irony is that he needs to learn from his brother what it means to repent. To start, he reacts peevishly to his brother’s return; he thinks his filial duties should have been rewarded with a feast; he cannot recognize or share his father’s relief and joy in having his son back; he stands on his hurt pride and refuses to enter the feast; he virtually disowns his brother by referring to him as “your son,” not as “my brother.” He, though he never wandered far from family or home or entertained a life of sin, has much about which he needs to repent. The older brother, though obedient and faithful, is called to more. He is called to compassion which celebrates when mercy is extended even to his undeserving brother. Luke’s introduction to the parable tells us that Jesus addresses the parable to the Pharisees and the scribes who complain that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Instead of rejoicing that sinners are being welcomed to the Father’s feast, they are upset. The Pharisees and scribes—like the older brother---are called to more than personal goodness. Even good and faithful are called to a compassion which rejoices in God’s mercy.[1]

My brothers and sisters we come this evening to come and worship our living and loving God but do we come here reconciled with God? Do we have issues in our lives that we haven’t dealt with or we want to simply ignore it? Are we afraid to let God forgive of us or do we go to the point were we think that God will not be able to forgive us. My brothers and sisters last week I mentioned the only sin that is unforgivable is the sin against the Holy Spirit which means that if you believe that God is prevented from forgiving you than you are sinning against the Holy Spirit because you are not letting God do his work in your life and you are preventing him from doing so.

My brothers and sisters as we are now at the half-mark of our Lenten journey, let seriously consider our “conversion” to clean up house for the season of Easter which is a season of renewal, a season of rejoicing, a season of hope. I invite you to come to our church this Tuesday night as the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated. As I have mentioned in the past, I will mention it again this evening, if you my dear brothers and sisters have been hurt by a priest in the confessional I apologize for that experience that has left a wound but do not let the fraility of man prevent you from receiving God’s mercy and love.

Now some of you might ask but why do I need to go to a priest? Can’t I go straight to God? Well, yes our God is the one that forgives but we are not just individuals. All of us who have been baptized become members of the mystical body of Christ. When we sin we just don’t hurt ourselves with our actions but we have also damaged the rest of the mystical body of Christ. For example when we either have a headache or a toothache it effects our whole body we just don’t feel well until we take care of that particular pain in our body. So the priest who is a member of the body of Christ represents the members so you will need not just to be reconciled with God but the members of the mystical body.

My brothers and sisters as we heard from St. Paul to the Corinthians who said that we have been reconciled back to God because he sent his son who became like us and through his sacrifice we have become once again reconciled to the Father through the son. So as we celebrate Latarae Sunday which is taken from the ancient antiphon, “Rejoice, O Jerusaleum.” Let us rejoice because we are members of the body of Christ and we have Jesus as our mediator to God the Father and we are given the opportunity to be reconciled to him who just wants to share his unconditional love with us, “we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”


[1] Living Liturgy, p.83

4th Sunday of Lent

Faith always takes us on a journey beyond the obvious and tangible. This was often lacking in those who experienced Jesus and His teachings. When He spoke of offering His Body and Blood, they exclaimed: "How can this man give us flesh to eat?" They totally missed the spiritual dimension of His words and message. He was pointing them to a higher realm of understanding, while they chose to remain on an earthly level leading only to darkness and death. Faith does not come easy. While we see and know people for whom faith seems like second nature, for many of us it is a gift that reveals itself only with the utmost diligence and care. It usually begins to appear in times of transition, distress and/or sickness, for it is in moments like these that the Lord is able to get our attention long enough, so that we can hear His voice above the noise and confusion of our daily lives. Whenever trouble breaks into the serenity of our daily existence, we can be sure the Divine potter is at work trying to mold us into something beautiful.

meditation: Fr. Dominic P. Irace

AWAY ON RETREAT

Just to let you know I'll be on my retreat this week in preparation for my ordination to the priesthood. So I ask all of you to keep me and my classmate, Deacon Andy in your prayers during this time of solitude. Be assured I will keep all of you in prayer. Also since I'm away this week I will leave you all the posts that I usually leave for your reflection. Have a blessed week!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461. Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This is also a day when everyone's Irish.

Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies.

As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him.
During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote
"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited with his family.
He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."

He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message.

Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonized as well). Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had built the first church.

image from: http://www.allsaintsbrookline.org
text from: www.catholic.org

Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent

A friend has been drinking. Foolishly we get into the car with him, and he has an accident in which we are hurt. We eventually forgive our friend for his share of the responsibility in the accident. Another day comes when our friend is drinking again. He insists that we get in the car with him. Remembering our past injury, we refuse. But because we have not forgotten, our friend insists that we have not truly forgiven at all. In fact, we have forgiven. But, we have also learned from our painful past experience, and choose not to repeat it.

Suppose one has forgiven an injury and experienced reconciliation with the injurer--a process of two distinct stages. In such situations, it is not helpful to repeatedly bring our remembrance of the injury into the relationship. Discretion and a willingness to let the past be the past are called for, for the sake of the relationship--call this a type of "forgetting" if you will.

meditation: www.ewtn.com

Friday of the 3rd week of Lent

Take with you words and return to the Lord. (Hosea 14:2)

So counseled the prophet Hosea. What words should the Israelites take with them? Words of repentance pleading for God's mercy. With disastrous results, the Israelites had counted on foreign allies to save them; now they had return to Yahweh, expressing their trust in God alone.

What words shall I take with me? What words express my heart-cry to the Father and will help me remain in his love? What words will shape my response to the challenges I will encounter today? The possibilities are endless. Perhaps it is a simple acclamation, like the dying man who whispered Jesus over and over again. Perhaps it is the tax collector's prayer: God, be merciful to me, a sinner (Luke 18:13). Perhaps it is the statement of faith: God loves me, or the declaration in response: I love you, Lord! Perhaps it is not a word at all but an image: light flooding into darkness, a flower bud poised to open, or an image of God as a refreshing dew for his people (Hosea 14:5-7).

Where will we find such words? They may come to us during the time we set aside for prayer. Perhaps a line from Scripture resonates in a special way. Perhaps a hymn comes unexpected to our lips.

Perhaps we are not so inspired during our formal prayer time. Still, if we remain alert, the Holy Spirit will bring a word to our attention during the day. It may come through God's creation, through our own thoughts, or through something another person says. Wherever it comes from, receive this gift, and take it with you through the rest of the day. Expect the Spirit to keep unfolding what it means and how it applies.

Today's word may be very striking, but it will seldom be a new idea. The scribe who questioned Jesus in today's Gospel about which commandment is the first of all (Mark 12:28) was very familiar with the Scriptures with which Jesus answered him. What he lacked wasn't knowledge but power to live it out. We don't have to run after novel ideas. The Holy Spirit is more than eager to enliven us to live the truth we already know.

meditation: The Word Among Us

SPECIAL EDITION: LET US PRAY

The soldiers led Jesus away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. Our dearest mother Mary, we pray for the virtue of patience in suffering and persevering in prayer. They clothed your Son in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage.

The praetorium was likely the palace of Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea. There Jesus was crowned with thorns, ridiculed as the king of the Jews, and unrecognized as the Lord of all. More importantly, the praetorium was to be a “pray-torium” for Jesus, a time and place of pouring out His trust in His heavenly Father while His patience is tried and He is made to suffer. The soldiers knelt before Jesus in mockery and spite. We are called to kneel before Him in reverence and prayer.

Jesus was patient in suffering and persevered in prayer. For us too, in patient suffering and persevering prayer, we may know the Father’s tender loving embrace and care even in circumstances that seem impossible. Any such circumstances help us to grow and to know that nothing is impossible for God. Even, in the end, for God to bring life out of death. Amen.

meditation by: Fr. Roger Hall, O.F.M.

image: http://www.ajbonocore.com/

3rd Wednesday of Lent

The experience of the Father’s love urges Christians to give of themselves to others, obeying a logic of service and solidarity in openness to their brothers and sisters. The arenas in which the Church through the centuries has borne witness to God’s love in her word and action are vast.Still today we see immense areas in which the work of Christians must bring to bear the charity of God. New forms of poverty and the pressing questions which trouble many hearts await a concrete and appropriate response. Those who are lonely, those on the margins of society, the hungry, the victims of violence, those who have no hope must be able to experience, in the Church’s loving care, the tenderness of the Heavenly Father who, from the very beginning of the world, has kept every individual in mind in order to fill each one with his blessings.

meditation: Pope John Paul II

3rd Tuesday of Lent

I had confided the painful story of my father to my friend. My parents separated bitterly when I was in high school. My father turned against his three sons. He circulated a letter of vicious lies in town to destroy our reputations and moved to Canada to avoid paying child support. I last saw my father in 1964, when I was sixteen. After that, I spoke with him only twice. The last time, he claimed he was not my father and threatened to harm me if I ever contacted him again. Years later, in 1990, I learned that my father had died--and changed his last name! It was now 1993. My friend knew my pain. In a gentle way we debated our subject over the phone. Citing Jesus' words, "if there is repentance, you must forgive," I clung to my anger and the reverse idea that Christians need not forgive, when there is no repentance. My friend and I had debated this issue before. Finally, in this conversation he said, "Here's what I'm concerned about. What happens to me when I don't forgive?" This time his words struck me. Beyond my clinging to any proof text, his words spoke to my soul.My journey included prayer, self-reflection, sharing my journey with others, and my desire to be freed from re-living these nightmares of my past. Above all, I trusted our God of love and forgiveness to go with me, no matter how arduous my journey. Weeks passed into months. Slowly my intense anger began to cool. Finally, after more than two years, a day came when I realized I no longer bore ill will toward my father. With God's help, I had forgiven him! I still considered his actions to be wrong. But even so, what a difference! After all those years of simmering anger, I had come to a place where I felt a real sense of peace with my father's memory--and myself! This experience touched my life and faith deeply.

meditation: Dr. Douglas Showalter

3rd Monday of Lent

After fifteen years of marriage, Elaine had allowed a disturbing pattern to develop. On weekends when she wasn't working full-time, she took care of the chores and the kids. Her husband, on the other hand, spent most of his time playing poker and golf with the guys, Elaine felt dumped on and isolated but said nothing. She reasoned that Greg was stressed out at work and needed time to unwind. But her feelings were taking their toll. Greg was totally surprised when she finally broke down and told him she was tired, unappreciated, and unhappy.

Poeple-pleasers go overboard to make other people happy. They constantly struggle to draw the line between their own needs and the demands of others. They do not realize that always putting someone else first causes serious consequences. Elaine always said "Yes," when she reallyed wanted to say "No."

Like Elaine, many of us shy away from conflict, just to keep the peace. But there is a huge reward, however, for staying true to ourselve and not allowing the attitudes, judgments, and opinions of others to rule us. For the first time, we can experience wholeness. When we speak our mind, demand respect, and expect to be treated fairly, we will honor the magnificent person that we are, and stand in our glory--toes and all!

meditation: A Time for Mending

3rd Sunday of Lent

It all started so well: Gods protective cloud overshadowed them. He fed them with manna in the wilderness. He even made water flow from a rock! So why did it take the Israelites a full forty years to get to the Promised Land? And why did so few who set out survive the journey? Wasnt God powerful enough?

We may as well ask the same question about ourselves. We have been made a new creation through the gift of Baptism. We eat the spiritual food of the Eucharist. We have the protective cloud of the Holy Spirit, who was released at our Confirmation. Why, then, arent we living in the complete holiness that all of these sacraments should be guaranteeing us?

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, who is the preacher to the papal household, explains this mystery through the concept of a bound sacrament: A sacrament is called bound if the fruit that should accompany it remains tied up because of certain blocks that prevent its effectiveness. An extreme example of this is the Sacrament of Matrimony or Holy Orders received in the state of mortal sin. In such circumstances, these sacraments cannot grant any grace until the obstacle of sin is removed through penance. Once this happens, the sacrament is said to live again thanks to the indelible character and irrevocability of the gift of God.

The sacraments are not magical rituals that act mechanically, without the persons knowledge or disregarding any response on his part. Their effectiveness is the fruit of cooperation between divine omnipotence and human freedom, because as St. Augustine said, ‘The one who created you without your cooperation will not save without your cooperation.

God never stops pouring grace upon grace into our hearts. The sacraments can be renewed and revitalized in our lives. How? Through repentance, by yielding to the Spirits movements, and by obeying the word of God. When Gods grace and our response come together, we can experience true breakthroughs. Miracles really are possible!

meditation: The Word Among Us

FROM THE PULPIT

In the movie Godfather III, mafia chief Michael Corleone meets with Cardinal Lamberto, reporting to the Cardinal that executives from the Vatican bank and even an Archbishop, have been involved in a massive case of fraud. After hearing this news Cardinal Lamberto moves to a water fountain, withdraws a stone and says: Look at this stone. It has been lying in the water for a very long time, but the water has not penetrated it." He breaks the stone in two, shows the inside to Don Michael and continues, "Look. Perfectly dry. The same thing has happened to men in Europe. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity, but Christ has not penetrated. Christ doesn't breathe within them."

In the second reading, Paul uses some key events in Israel’s history for moral exhortation: the past serves as an example that calls the Corinthians to repentance—precisely the point Jesus makes in reviewing contemporary events in Galilee. The first incident was apparently an act of political reprisal. Pilate, known for his brutality, had executed some pilgrims who came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice; perhaps they had been implicated in some seditious or rebellious act. The second event was an accident at a construction site that took the lives of eighteen workers. Despite the differences in circumstances, all the victims met with an unexpected and sudden death. Jesus rejects the current religious explanation for such tragedies, namely, that they are sent by God as punishment for sin. If God punished sin in this way, than all Galileans (indeed all people!) should expect the same inasmuch as all sin. For Jesus, the fate of Pilate’s victims and of the workmen in Siloam is not an opportunity to speculate about their sins, but an invitation to disciples to put their own lives in order. He warns his hearers that “you will all perish as they did” (13:3,5)—not necessarily by tragedy, but suddenly and without warning, without the opportunity to repent. One cannot know when or how death will come. The time for repentance is now, while there is time. The brief parable about the fig tree is a story of God’s mercy. The owner of the orchard has already waited patiently three years for the fig tree to produce fruit. Although he decides to cut down the tree, he is dissuaded by the gardener who will redouble his effort to make the tree fruitful. The orchard owner agrees. But even the gardener acknowledges that the day will come when the unfruitful tree will be cut down. So it is with the ministry of Jesus. His call to repentance is an act of mercy, inviting people to avoid judgment. But there will be a day when time has run out and then it will be too late. Repent now![1]

My brothers and sisters when we think of sin we usually probably think of murder, adultery, the big juicy sins but most of us here are what I will call “everyday folk” but does that make us sinless? No, because the only two people that walked on this Earth that were sinless were Jesus and his blessed mother Mary. Unless either two of those people are in the pews here this morning than we all have some sins to deal with. We are like the fig tree that needs to be penetrated by God’s mercy and love as we heard the cardinal tell Michael Corleone. We need to let the light of Christ shine in those dark areas of our soul that haven’t been healed by his forgiveness.

Now some of you my brothers and sisters believe there are actions that could never be forgiven but that is not true. There is only one sin that God doesn’t forgive and that is the sin against the Holy Spirit. That means when you believe that God can’t forgive you than you are saying there are things God is prevented from doing and when you continue in that state of mind than you can’t be forgiven because you are sinning against the Holy Spirit. You are not letting God do his work.

St. Jose Maria Escriva who was canonized just a couple of years ago and is the founder of the lay movement Opus Dei says, “For a Christian, joy is a treasure. Only by offending God do we lost it, because sin is the fruit of selfishness, and selfishness is the root of sadness. Even then, a bit of joy survives under the debris of our soul: the knowledge that neither God nor his Mother can ever forget us. If we repent, if an act of sorrow springs from our heart, if we purify ourselves in the holy sacrament of penance, God comes out to meet and forgive us. Then there can be no sadness whatsoever. Then there is every right ‘to rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come back to life, was last and has been found.’

My brothers and sisters as St. JoseMaria Escriva mentions that we don’t find joy in the emptiness that sin will bring but we will find joy when we let Christ into our lives that brings us the forgiveness that we all are in need of.

In Psalm 103 we hear the words, “He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion. Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing in his kindness toward those who fear him.”

This morning throughout the world we begin the series of scrutinies for the catechumens, the purpose of these scrutinies is mainly spiritual, and this is achieved by exorcisms. When we hear the word exorcism we might think of the famous movie that came out in the 70’s but the catechumens that undergo this exorcism are freed from the effects of sin and from the influence of the devil, and they are strengthened in their spiritual journey and open their hearts to receive the gifts of the Savior.

The scrutinies are intended to purify the Catechumens’ minds and hearts, to strengthen them against temptation, to purify their intentions, and to make firm their decision, so that they remain more closely united with Christ and make progress in their efforts to love God more deeply.

During these three scrutinies, they should be making progress in the understanding of sin and in the desire for salvation. So my dear catechumen and candidates this morning as you go forth from this place of worship with your catechists and sponsors be those people that are making progress to understand sin and the desire of salvation. Let your hearts burn for the Christ that you desire to follow but it only can be done when we realize our brokenness and let the Lord forgiving hand be upon us to heal us so that we can be whole. As you will hear the Gospel story of the Samaritan woman, realize that Jesus is the living water that give us life everlasting.

So my brothers and sisters let us rejoice and be glad and let us open up our total beings to God. Let us repent of what needs to be repented of so that we will no longer have the dark areas of our being but to let the light of Christ shine on us; to let Christ penetrate our being.

[1] Living Liturgy, P. 77

2nd Saturday of Lent

Lent is a time for each of us to increase our knowledge of the "faith that is in us" in order that we can fulfill our vocation as Christians to extend this rich blessing of faith to others. We accomplish personal renewal and revitalization of our faith through penance, prayer and instruction.

2nd Friday of Lent

Why did Matthew include this story in his gospel? Simply to present an historical record of events leading to Jesus death? Simply to emphasize how stern he could be in criticizing his enemies? Or is there something else going on? Consider what occurs. Jesus tells a story. His audience, completely rapt, enthusiastically answers his question about what the owner would do (Matthew 21:41). And yet, engaged as his hearers were, Jesus conclusion still stunned them: Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you (21:43).

So what does this have to do with us, now, as we prepare for Easter? When God speaks, friend and foe alike hear him. He doesnt obscure his message, even when we may not want to hear what he has to say. Sometimes, as in todays Gospel reading, he wants to challenge our hearts and minds in the hopes of shaking up the way we live. And thats not typically something we find easy to swallow.

Whenever the Holy Spirit speaks to us—whether it be in prayer, through Scripture, at Mass, or through events in our lives—we need to embrace his word, even if its uncomfortable or challenging. Remember: Jesus is out for our welfare. His words arent meant to condemn or demean us. They are meant to build us up and prompt us to change. Even if he must speak sharp words to us, he always leaves us room to repent and to be transformed. He is always with us to help us and to empower us. All he asks is that we have ears to hear.
Brothers and sisters, we are the people to whom the kingdom of God has been given. We are the ones called to produce it is fruit. We can choose to respond with anger, indifference, and resistance. Or we can accept his words and ask him to help us. God loves us all dearly! His plans, his words for us, always offer us life, healing, and hope. So listen today with an open heart. Know that you can always trust his gentleness, his mercy, and his love.

meditation: The Word Among Us

SPECIAL EDITION: LET US PRAY

Jesus was betrayed by a kiss. After having him arrested and questioned, Pilate’s next move was to take Jesus and have him scourged. Our dearest mother Mary, we pray for the virtue of mortification. Jesus was stripped, tied to a post, and probably beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal and glass fragments, made to more effectively tear and disfigure human flesh. Love is vulnerable.

Jesus’ persecutors desired to beat the “ever-loving delights” of the Father from Him and cause Him to cease from His loving and merciful ways. Mortification calls us to recognize our inordinate attachments to the good things of this world, the things we so often say that we love. They are things such as food, sex, clothes, houses, alcohol, drugs, work, cars, and so many more things that we may use to build ourselves up and to feel good about ourselves.

In love, God created all things good. Yet there is nothing in this world that can make us feel good, except the realization that we are God’s good creation. Ultimately the free gift of our goodness is a sign of our participation in the Father’s “God-ness.” When we rend our hearts from so many “things” of this world, we too may then be available to the better things of God’s love. We may become instruments of God’s love and mercy, and disciples of Jesus who says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Amen.

meditation by: Fr. Roger Hall, O.F.M.

image from: www.sofc.org

1st Thursday of Lent

My friend Gene was dying. Harriet, his love of two years, had proposed marriage. There wasn't much time, but there was love. Gene's red boutonniere was a burst of color pinned to the white tuxedo that hung loosely from his frail frame. Seated during most of the service, he stood up during his vows, only to cough during "until death do us part." I was proud to pronounce them husband and wife. Leaning heavily on Harriet, Gene slowly made his way down the aisle--triumphant. He turned to Harriet, happy and exhausted, and said, "Sweetheart, this is the happiest day of my life."

Then ten days later, after a brief stay at hospice, Gene died, Harriet, who had been by his side the whole time, had the memory of their great love and joyful wedding to keep her strong. Although brokenhearted, she never once complained of bitterness or regret. Instead, she was able to convert her experience of sorrow into a service of healign for others. With her gentle, steady presence, she now helps other men and women who are grieving the loss of their loved one. She is never too busy to volunteer at hospice, take a phone call late at night, or sit with somone who is grieving. Harriet reminds us that even when we feel powerless, we can always offer a kind heart.

meditation: A Time for Mending

FROM THE PULPIT: SPECIAL EDITION

It was a great honor to preach at my grandmother's funeral and I will like to share with you the homily that I preached:

We are gathered this morning in this beautiful church to remember and to pray for the respose soul of our sister Maria. My dear brothers and sisters as Christians she is a sister to all of us but to many of us, she is our mother, our grandmother, great-grandmother, our sister, our aunt, and our friend. We remember that this woman was a woman that left many memories for us to remember this morning. She of course wasn’t born in this country but in the small village of Furnas, Sao Miguel in the Azores, she raised six children with her husband in extreme poverty but was such a strong woman even in the midst of her poverty that she loved her children so dearly and only wanted the best for them. She just didn't show a mother's love to them but made the faith an important aspect in their lives and even until her last earthly day she would mouth some prayer or blessing upon all her children, grandchildren and greatchildren. She came to this country so that they could escape the poverty and to give her children a better life and she loved this country dearly that at the young age of seventy six years old she became an American citizen. She was a simple and hard working woman like many immigrants she worked in the factory and each Sunday morning was devoted in coming to Mass and when she and after her retirement it wasn't uncommon for to attend daily Mass and she would always say it's not a Sunday without going to Mass. I honestly could say that with my grandmother's deep conviction in God and in the Church that she help the seed of my vocation grow. The only wish she had since I entered the order was to be present for my Frist Mass. Of course, she will not be their physically but as Catholics we beleive when the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated that all the angels and saints surronds the altar and I know deep down in my being that my grandmother will be numbered among those saints when I preside at my First Eucharistic celebration in May.

We find in the book of Wisdom, “the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. How true that is that we are assured that as long as we are close to our loving and living God he will take care of us. In the second reading, St. Paul tells the community of Thessalonia, “for if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” My brothers and sisters as Christians, the center of our faith is the resurrection, we who are believers have that hope in our own resurrection as we hope that our sister Maria will share in that resurrection. In the Gospel that I proclaimed just moments ago from the Gospel of John we heard that famous passage "I am the way and the truth and the life.” My brothers and sisters Thomas asked the question to the Lord, "we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Maria didn't ever have to ask that question. She always knew that our Lord Jesus was the way, the truth and the life" My brothers and sisters Maria was a great example to us when it came to faith. She showed to us that our God is a true loving God. A God that is alive and that we needed to be in that path that leads to him.

Today’s liturgy has many symbolisms that unfortunately people don’t understand or don’t catch which of course is understandable under the circumstances when we have lost a loved one. Our sister, Maria, was brought into the entrance of the church this morning and Fr. Ed sprinkled holy water over her casket symbolizing the waters of the baptism that washed her clean when she was baptized than her casket was clothed with a white garment that is called a funeral pall which symbolizes purity and again the connection to her baptism because when she was washed in the waters of baptism it wasn’t a ceremonial washing but actual cleansing of any sin that she had and she was a pure as the snow that comes from the heavens. Her casket is placed in front of the Easter candle which is the symbol of Christ present but also of his resurrection and the resurrection that we as Christians hope to share in when the Lord calls us home. You will notice also throughout this celebration of the Eucharist the prayers will be prayers for the soul of Maria, we as a Catholic community believe that we need to pray for the dead so that they can share in that beatific vision of seeing God face to face. Than at the end of the liturgy , her casket will be incensed because we believe that our bodies are sacred because they are temples of the Holy Spirit and also incensing symbolizes that our prayers are lifted to our Lord and as the casket is incensed the hymn, “Song of Farewell” is sung and it has such a beautiful refrain, “May the choirs of angels come to greet you. May they speed you to paradise. May the Lord enfold you in his mercy. May you find eternal life.” My brothers and sisters we mourn for this beloved woman today but we should leave this place of worship not with saddened hearts but with hearts of rejoicing and I came across a poem that I found beautiful and perfect for this occassion and for this great woman:

"God saw she was getting tiredAnd a cure was not to be.So He put his arms around herAnd whispered, "Come with me."With tearful eyes we watched her go.Although we loved her dearly.We could not make her stay.A golden heart stopped beating,Hard working hands to rest.God broke our hearts to prove to us,He only takes the best."

FROM THE PULPIT

A little girl noticed that every time her mother cooked a roast she chopped a piece off the end of the roast before putting it in the oven. Intrigued, she asked her mother why she did this. "Well to be honest, I do it because that's the way my mother always does it" came the reply. "I'm sure she must have some good reason for it." At the next family gathering, the child decided to satisfy her curiosity. "Grandma, why do you always chop the end off the roast before cooking it?" "Well to be honest, I do it because that's the way my mother always does it" came the reply. "I'm sure she must have some good reason for it." A week or so later the little girl was visiting her 90 year old great grandmother. She explained that mommy and grandma always chop the end off the roast before cooking it, but couldn't remember why. Did she know? "Imagine the two of them doing that! The o only reason I cut the piece off because my pan was too small!"

In Luke’s Gospel this morning and in the Acts of the Apostles, there are several manifestations of Jesus’ glory: the transfiguration, baptism, resurrection, and ascension. This Sunday’s gospel of the transfiguration shares many common elements with the account of the baptism: in both Jesus is in prayer, a voice comes from heaven/the cloud, and there is an announcement of Jesus as “my beloved [chosen] Son.” There may be a link between the transfiguration and the resurrection suggested by Luke’s indicating that the transfiguration took place “on the eighth day,” an early Christian name for the resurrection; finally, the transfiguration is linked to both the resurrection and the ascension by the expression, “behold, two men.” All these events reveal the glory of Jesus. The cloud which overshadows the mountain of transfigurations is an important image of the divine presence found throughout the Old Testament and in this Sunday’s first reading. The cloud and/or smoke is a symbol of God’s presence in Exodus, and elsewhere; the cloud, along with a pillar of fire, also figures prominently in the Exodus from Egypt, guiding the Hebrews on their way through the wilderness. it is from the cloud of divine presence that the voice comes, confirming Jesus’ glory as God’s “chosen Son.” The changed appearance of Jesus’ face and his “dazzling white” clothes is a sneak preview of what Paul refers to in the second reading as Christ’s “glorified body.” Moreover, Paul indicates that what is true for Jesus will be true for us: our “lowly body” will be transformed so as to “conform with his glorified body.” This is keeping with our true status for, as followers of Jesus, “our citizenship in heaven.” The first part of the longer version of this second reading fittingly urges Christians to “conduct themselves” in a way which befits their citizenship and will merit their glorification. Paul concludes by urging people to “stand firm in the Lord.” Those who will share Jesus’ glory and be acknowledged as God’s own chosen children.[1]

Jesus this morning goes up to the mountain to pray and probably didn’t expect to be transfigured but that communion with God showed his glory and the words, “this is my beloved son, listen to him.” Now my brothers and sisters we are always called to change. We see in the earlier story that I shared with you that there was never a change because it was “always done that way.” We have to work on our spiritual lives and not continue to be our old selves; not to continue in our bad habits but to be renewed. The church in her wisdom realizes that we need to be renewed, to recharge our batteries and the perfect time to do that is during this season of Lent. That is why we do acts of penance, almsgiving, fasting, etc so that we can go deeper into our being and realize what needs to be worked on, what needs to be changed so as a bud becomes a beautiful flower we too might shine as radiant as the sun as our Lord was radiant when he was transfigured..

St. Anastasius of Sinai a bishop and an early church father, in one of his sermon’s on this gospel of the transfiguration stated that, “Each of us possesses God in his heart and is being transformed into his divine image, we also should cry out with joy: It is good for us to be here - here where all things shine with divine radiance, where there is joy and gladness and exultation; where there is nothing in our hearts but peace, serenity and stillness; where God is seen. For here, in our hearts, Christ takes up his abode together with the Father, saying as he enters: Today salvation has come to this house. With Christ, our hearts receive all the wealth of his eternal blessings, and there where they are stored up for us in him, we see reflected as in a mirror both the first fruits and the whole of the world to come showing his union with the Father.”

My brothers and sisters, St. Anastasius is emphizing that we are transformed in Christ. That is not possible if we do not let Christ be part of our lives and it just doesn’t require doing it one time and that’s it. Some of our Christian brothers and sisters believe in the motto, “once you are saved you are always saved.” But we are people that are weak and do fall.

In the early Christian community it was hard for them to understand that once someone became baptized how were they capable of sin but because of our nature we all have concupiscence where we have the ability to fall into sin and that is why the sacrament of reconciliation is present because of our human nature that is prone to falling.

My brothers and sisters we need to change, and it doesn’t happen overnight but it’s a lifetime process; it’s continually working on it. My brothers and sisters when we either diet or exercise and we take it seriously than we will have healthier bodies but if we don’t do the same thing with our souls than they continue to become out of shape.

Let us remember the words that we hear throughout the Lenten Season that comes from Hebrews 3:7, “Today if you hear his voice harden not your hearts.” Let us not harden our hearts, let them be open to change so that we can be as radiant as the sun so that we can also lead others to the glory of God.

[1] Living Litrugy, p. 73

2nd Wednesday of Lent

James and John were loyal followers of Jesus. They probably would have done anything he asked. But in a sense they were clueless about what he was really up to. Their request to sit beside him in heaven shows the degree to which their values were still influenced by the world around them, where prestige ruled the day. Their intentions were good, but they still had a lot to learn about being servants of God.
It wasnt only James and John, however, who had this problem. The other disciples were angry at them, probably because they also wanted to be where the action was. But Jesus didnt condemn any of them; instead, he took the opportunity to teach them about the nature of his kingdom—whoever wants to follow him must forget about being important in the eyes of the world. The one who wants to be great must learn to be last.
Every year at Lent, we have the opportunity to learn this lesson, too. Its a chance for us to re-focus our gaze on Christ and to sharpen our resolve to no longer live for ourselves but for him. We may come into this season a bit like James and John: wanting to get closer to God and meaning well, but still needing to learn the way of the cross that Jesus walked. Its not bad to want to sit next to Jesus. But if we want to reign with him, we first need to learn how to die with him by turning from sin and embracing his life of trust and obedience to the Father.
At its heart, Lent is not about fasting, saying extra prayers, or doing a bunch of good deeds. These are only the means to the greater end, which is coming into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Jesus fixed his eyes on the cross, and he invites us to do the same. He knows that as we do, untold blessings will flow into our lives: unbounded joy; peace in times of stress; freedom from sins; and best of all, intimacy with Almighty God himself. Who could have ever thought that so much good could come out of a call to die?

meditation from: The Word Among Us